Leo Hursh wrote:
Yesterday I took my son, Skyler and my nephew to the Strategic Air and Space Museum outside of Omaha, NE. A fun time was had by all. The museum is tough from a photographic perspective with all the displays packed tightly together, but it was a lot of fun seeing many aircraft that I've only seen in pictures since I was a kid.

Just what was kelly Johnson smoking way back in '58 to come up with that design
Sheer genius...

Leo Hursh wrote:
Yesterday I took my son, Skyler and my nephew to the Strategic Air and Space Museum outside of Omaha, NE. A fun time was had by all. The museum is tough from a photographic perspective with all the displays packed tightly together, but it was a lot of fun seeing many aircraft that I've only seen in pictures since I was a kid.

Looks like a good day with the boys, Leo. I haven't seen that museum since it was housed on base at Offut.

Anybody know what the bulges in the SR-71's chines, just aft of the nose probe, are for? Airflow modification, maybe, or to house sensors?

And thanks for all those views of Colorado, and Santa Fe. I'm guessing your car handled the Raton Pass a little better than the 1974 Chevy Vega we did it with... thought I was going to have to get out and push it up at one point...

stevez wrote:
You're very welcome, Leo. When I don't have airplanes to shoot I still like to share what I've been up to here, among friends.

@ Angry, I'm not sure what it was, but it was doing the job! To think that they went from paper to flying example in 4 years on an aircraft that is at the top of the food-chain is amazing!

@ Steve, it was a great day with the boys. I don't know exactly what the bulges are for, but a bit of research would suggest that they housed ELINT sensors or cameras. Yes, they had the B-36 parked behind and to the side of the B-52 and the B-17. It is amazing how many aircraft (both large and small) packed into those buildings!

@ Mike, you aint kidding! We walked through the front doors and both boys jaws hit the floors. They just walked over and looked at the aircraft for several minutes, pointing and making comments about the various features of the airplane.

Most of my thru the fence shooting is of a/c on the move, and I predominantly use back button focus. How would your technique help me with this?

Mark

Mark, I use back button focus too. For shooting up in the sky, not sure it would apply, but it may apply to an aircraft taxiiing behind some fencing you are standing near. With long lenses I am sure you know the depth of field can be very shallow. You can literally be right up behind some chain link fencing, or trees with leaves, and pan right through them, or at times, even shoot a still and the lens won't even pick up the chain link. I like to do this with no autofocusing enabled and by pre-focusing on a spot on the track and then essentially turning AF off. The below example is through foliage much denser than what appears in the frame (I wanted some edging of the leaves here) and had a bunch right in front of the lens that don't even appear. This shot is out of camera and not dolled up at all, just something that was close to what I was describing. Again, I wanting some leaves in this for effect. Apologies if most already know this...just thought a casual walker by on the thread could learn something.

With all the talk about the honor flights a few pages back figured out of today's shots, one for Southwest seemed appropriate. Nothing too fancy, but if you guys have any pointers, fire away. One never stops learning.